Liverpool’s supervisor Jurgen Klopp hugs goalscorer Harvey Elliott as he leaves the pitch throughout the English Premier League match between Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur at Anfield Stadium in Liverpool, on May 5, 2024.
| Photo Credit: AP
The smile is again on Jurgen Klopp’s face — even when his Liverpool gamers appear intent on testing his nerves proper to the end.
The Premier League title could also be all however past the Merseyside membership, however that does not imply the drama is over for Klopp, who will step down at the end of the season.
Last week he was arguing on the sideline with Mohamed Salah as Liverpool successfully dropped out of the title race. And whereas Salah opened the scoring in a 4-2 win towards Tottenham at Anfield on Sunday, it was Harvey Elliott who appeared to carry the broadest smile to Klopp’s face with an exquisite long-range objective in what appeared like being a cakewalk for Klopp’s group.
“What a goal,” the Liverpool manager said. “In the game you only see it flying in and I thought, That was a good shot.’ The goal I saw afterwards, there was not a lot of space left or right. It went exactly where it should be be. Top goal.”
Elliott’s strike, after targets from Salah, Andy Robertson and Cody Gakpo, fired Liverpool right into a 4-0 lead earlier than the recreation had even reached the hour mark. What adopted was the unlikeliest of fightbacks from Spurs which may have made this one other irritating day in what has finally been a disappointing finale for Klopp at the end of almost 9 trophy-filled years.
Goals from Richarlison and Son Heung-min made it a a lot nearer contest than it had ever appeared like being. And it wanted two excellent saves from Alisson, a goal-line clearance from Joe Gomez and a VAR name to forestall it from being nearer nonetheless.
“It’s a bit of little bit of a mirror of the season. Really, actually, actually, good till we have been actually garbage after which, we have been okay once more,” Klopp said.
A nervy finish didn’t stop the home fans from beckoning Klopp to produce his trademark post-match triple fist pump to the crowd after his penultimate home game in charge, with Feyenoord coach Arne Slot set to take over next season.
Mathematically, at least, it is not over for third-place Liverpool, which sits five points adrift of leader Arsenal with two games remaining. But, in reality, a late-season slump has killed Klopp’s hopes of walking away with a second Premier League crown of his reign.
His team had been heavily rebuilt over the past two seasons and was not expected to contend at the top so soon. But this season at one point offered Liverpool the hope of a quadruple of trophies. Now it feels like it is ending on an underwhelming note.
Still, Klopp, who delivered the English League Cup in February, will walk away from a team that is on the up and leave his successor with plenty of young talent to work with.
The 21-year-old Elliott is a prime example and he showcased his ample potential with an assist and a goal as Liverpool threatened to run riot.
His perfectly placed curling cross provided Gakpo with the simple task of heading in Liverpool’s third and then he swept an unstoppable shot from around 20 yards (meters) into the top corner and beyond Tottenham goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario.
“Harvey is exceptional. Still so young. So exceptional,” Klopp said. “In the midfield position, it was probably one of the top three performances from him today. The goal was exceptional. Everyone needs moments to gain more confidence. It was a good moment. That helps definitely.”
Aston Villa slips
A bad week for Aston Villa got worse after a surprise 1-0 loss at Brighton.
Unai Emery’s team lost 4-2 at home to Olympiakos in the first leg of their Europa Conference League semifinal on Thursday. And on a day when it could have secured its place in next season’s Champions League, it suffered another setback when Joao Pedro headed home a rebound in the 87th after seeing his penalty saved by Robin Olsen.
Only Spurs’ loss at Anfield prevented it from being a bigger blow after the result at the Amex Stadium had given Ange Postecoglou’s team hope in its pursuit of Villa in fourth.
But Villa still missed out on the chance of making certain of a top-four finish.
Chelsea routs West Ham
Chelsea’s troubled season may nonetheless end on one thing of a excessive after Mauricio Pochettino’s group boosted its possibilities of European soccer subsequent season with a 5-0 rout of West Ham.
The win at Stamford Bridge moved Chelsea up to seventh in the standings and two factors behind sixth-place Newcastle. Only the prime six groups in the Premier League will likely be assured a spot in Europe subsequent season.
“We need to keep this momentum and belief going,” Pochettino mentioned.
While Chelsea’s exorbitant spending beneath U.S. homeowners Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital was supposed to put the 2021 Champions League winner again in competition for the greatest prizes, qualification for Europe would symbolize progress after ending in the backside half of the desk final 12 months and one other season of wrestle this time period.
After a morale-boosting 2-0 win towards Tottenham on Thursday, Chelsea adopted it up by thrashing West Ham.
Nicolas Jackson scored twice in the second half after Chelsea had raced to a 3-0 lead by the break by targets from Cole Palmer, Conor Gallagher and Noni Madueke.
